Dalton's Tanks

[daltonxj]

Hello all!

I was given 2 small tanks. I know they aren't the biggest things in the world but they where free....

1 is a 5 gal tank. cover and hang on filter! ( Running it's first cycle )...
plastic plants in this tank for now.... with a giant fake shell... ( it all came with it..




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Next----
1 is a new (in box) 10 gallon Topfin hang on filter, heater, net, led lighted canopy. ( Running it's first cycle )

things added...

Plants
1 . Umbrella (Spathiphyllium wallisii) may replant this one in another small water vase I have..
2 . Amazon Sword Plant (Echinodorus bleheri)
3. fake plant (will be removing this very soon....



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I have been reading on this site and a few others and read that to just never get a tank and throw fish in it... I have done that once before and a week later had a lot of dead fish & and a real smelly tank! So this time I am going to do it right.

These tanks where free to me so I will start with these and then get a larger tank to move up into.. I plan on getting a 55 - 60 gallon later and moving the 5 to the 10 gallon then using the 5 gallon as a quarantine tank.


edited......

Still deciding on type of fish... I know I want to have some shrimp in each tank but don't know how many each tank will hold? I don't want to over crowd the little guys.

I will be adding more plants and a DIY:C02 system to each tank at a later date.

 

[CcJ23]

Welcome! To be honest, for shrimp, i'd start with some cheap ghost shrimp. I have some in my 55 community tank with no problems, but I'd hate to have you go spend a bunch of money on some RCS and have them all die on you.

 

[daltonxj]

I was looking into getting a few ghost shrimp to start with.. then later getting another type.. I have seen the ghost shrimp at the LFS..

know of any good starter fish?

 

[CcJ23]

Guppies. Cheap & Hardy for the most part

 

[Andrew McFadden]

to AA! We hope you enjoy

 

[daltonxj]

Thank you very much.

I was talking to the wife today about some types of fish we should look into. To my surprise she showed me a pic of a 55 gal tank for sale. It was $125 complete with stand, all accessories external pump filter, some live plants and fish...
Going to go look at it Tuesday when we return from our trip....


Can hardly wait...

 

[Numen Wraith.]

Numen's Tank

Oops... this was supposed to be a new thread. I think I hit the back button too much.

The 5 gallon would likely be great for a betta.

 

[daltonxj]

Well wife came home with a clear bag.... Has 6 Zebra Danio's in it.
Will these work with neon tetras as well?
Will add pictures later. Don't wanna upset the little guys any monre then they are right now....

 

[daltonxj]

Well I think my wife learned a lesson!!! Tank wasn't ready I tried to tell her but she put them in any way. They all died in a matter of an hour. Now she is going tomorrow and buying me an API test kit.... She said she wants to start all over this time doing it the right way.. I tried to tell her....

So we are starting fresh tomorrow....

 

[daltonxj]

Well just bought a 55 gal tank. No filter or equipment just tank. Lady said her hubby had a snake in it 3 years ago.
So my question is how do I clean it out?

 

[daltonxj]

Oh yeah paid $5 for it!

 

[Numen Wraith.]

DO NOT USE WINDEX (or any other standard cleaners). This is obvious to some people, but it's super important.

There's a line of products called Doctors Foster and Smith that makes great products for cleaning aquariums.

Also, do some research on "cycling" your tank, and you can avoid your issue with the danios. Also, since you didn't mention it, fish need to be acclimated (another process to research), and your water needs to be treated for chlorine and chloramides. For the latter, I recommend Seachem (company) Prime (product).

 

[daltonxj]

Ok got my API master fe test kit.

Ph is 8.2
Ammonia 1.0
NO2 0
NO3. 20

No fish yet but want to get Cichlids for my 55gal tank. When would be a good time to get them for the tank?

 

[daltonxj]

Update!!

decided the 5 gallon tank is gonna be a quarantine tank!

10 gallon! fish are in!!!!


Tank Mates:
5 Zebra Danios
4 Glow Tetras
2 Mollies Gold/Black
1 Chinese Algae Eater I think thats what it is?

 

[daltonxj]

Oh yeah got this a few days ago!!


My API Freshwater Kit


My first water test after 2 weeks of running!

Fish are all fine seems no problems but will be keeping an eye on them!!

also check out the build of my http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/55-gal-cichlid-tank-240836.html

 

[Andrew McFadden]

You need to do water changes to lower the ammonia ( assuming your doing a fish in cycle) your fish will have health problems and possible deaths in the tank.

 

[daltonxj]

I do a 25% water change daily and now test daily

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I do a 25% water change daily and now test daily

This is a fish in cycle, right?

You need to keep it under .25 as best as you can. The ammonia test picture looks pretty green to me likely 1.0ppm. You may have to do a couple big changes back to back to get it down. Then test every so often throughout the day and if it goes above .25 you need to do a water change.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/fishin-cycling-step-dark-side/

 

[daltonxj]

Yes it is a fish in cycle

I am using API quick start and I did a 75% water change and lost all but one fish. After getting them replaced I started doing 25% changes
Haven't lost one yet.

So to bring down the ammonia I need to do a few
Back to back water changes? About what % you think?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Yes it is a fish in cycle

I am using API quick start and I did a 75% water change and lost all but one fish. After getting them replaced I started doing 25% changes
Haven't lost one yet.

So to bring down the ammonia I need to do a few
Back to back water changes? About what % you think?

do a 50% then wait an hour and test again if its still above .25ppm then do it again.